Unit Coil Development for Y-SMES

A superconducting magnetic energy storage system (SMES) for electric power system control has been developed using Yttrium (Y)-based coated conductor of high performance in Ic and mechanical properties, in order to fulfill the requirements for large capacity and cost reduction of the SMES. The target stored energy of the coil required for the SMES system of 100 MVA output power is 2 GJ class. The conceptual designed coil of toroid type consists of one hundred eighty unit coils of 2.8 m outer diameter and each unit coil is connected to each converter of a multi-cell type. Due to this design concept, the main unit coil specifications of 2 kA current, 2 kV voltage, 600 MPa hoop stress tolerance and 3 W/m² heat flux around 20 K can realize the SMES system. Coiling technologies have been developing using Y-based wire for SMES. A small multi-layer coil was manufactured and its electromagnetic force characteristics were verified by 600 MPa class hoop stress tests. A bundled-conductor coil of 650 mm class diameter was also manufactured and its current characteristics were verified by 2 kA class large current tests.